World Rugby will consider introducing the 20-minute red card as a global trial.

The rule, which is currently being tested in the southern hemisphere’s elite Super Rugby Pacific competition, means that a sent off player can be tactically replaced by a substitute after 20 minutes.

England lock Charlie Ewels was sent off after just 82 seconds against Ireland at Twickenham in the Six Nations last month, meaning the hosts had to play almost the entire game down to 14 men. Ireland eventually pulled out in the final quarter to win 32-15 as the downside of being a man down caught up with England.

Many pundits argue that a red card is often too harsh a punishment, ruining the game as a spectacle, but others believe the 20-minute red is an insufficient punishment for serious foul play.

Ewels saw red as part of World Rugby’s determination to eliminate head-height challenges, with the world governing body keen to lower tackle heights in response to concerns about the long-term effects of concussions on the player health.

The Super Rugby trial, however, has so far proved inconclusive. “It has been discussed before and will be discussed again,” said World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin. The telegraph of the day newspaper.

“It would be great if more competitions, even in a behind closed doors trial, used it as it would give us a better insight into the effect it would have on the game.”

Gilpin added, “We need to see more data to see if it strikes the balance between safety and spectacle better. There is still work to be done to analyze this and the problem is that if a team goes back to 15 players, is that a sufficient deterrent to bring about this change in behavior?

“We would like it to be tested more widely before drawing any conclusions.”

The 20-minute red card can be tested by individual competitions, as it is in Super Rugby, but cannot be considered for global adoption until the next Women’s Rugby World Cups (later this year) and masculine (2023).

The 20-minute red card failed to gain support from World Rugby when a global trial was considered in May 2021, but a waiver was granted to any competition wishing to apply the rule as a trial behind closed doors .

© Agence France-Presse